The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 48 – Section 50
SECT. XLVIII.
THe Lord having thus ordered the things that concerned his people in the general, He now gives directions concerning ſuch perſons who deſired by a particular Vow to ſeparate themſelves from the ordinary courſe of men, that they might more freely and wholly dedicate themſelves unto him, and that in a more ſtrict and pure courſe of living than other men uſed. Such perſons as theſe were hereupon called Nazarites, that is, ſeparate from others, as being bound to a peculiar Profeſſion and courſe of life. And the Lord was pleaſed to allow of them, firſt, That their example might allure others to a ſtrict courſe of holineſs, theſe being indeed the Mirrors of their times, and admired among the people, Lam. 4.7. Her Nazarites were purer then Snow, they were whiter then Milk. 2ly, That they might be Types and Shadows of Chriſt, who was indeed the true Nazarite, even holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from Sinners, Heb. 7.26. and was therefore by the Providence of God (though upon another ground, namely, his dwelling in Nazareth) called a Nazaren or a Nazarite, Matth. 2.23. Concerning the Nazarites theſe things are obſervable,
1. The perſons that might ſeparate themſelves by this Vow were either men or women.
2. Being to give themſelves wholly to the Service of God during the time of their ſeparation, they were to vow to abſtain from Wine, ſtrong Drink, Vinegar, or any Liquor of Grapes or Raiſins dried or moiſt, or any thing that came of the Vine. And this and other Laws that concerned theſe Nazarites they were to obſerve only during the days of their ſeparation, as is expreſſed, verſ. 4, 5, 6. There were indeed ſome Nazarites perpetual during their whole life, ſuch as were Samuel, 1 Sam. 1.28. and Sampſon, Judg. 13.7. and John Baptiſt, Luke 1.15. But theſe Nazarites concerning whom theſe Laws here are given, were ſuch as did of their own accord take on them the vow of a Nazarite for ſome certain time, (t)See Acts 18.18. & 21.24.ſome for a longer, and ſome for a ſhorter, as they pleas'd themſelves.
3. The man during the time of his ſeparation was to keep his hair uncut, that it might be a Memorial to him of his ſeparation and conſecration to God. For the chief thing that God required of theſe Nazarites was inward purity and holineſs, theſe outward Ceremonies being only ſigns and remembrances to them of it. This Law of not cutting the hair is to be underſtood only of men, and not of women-Nazarites, becauſe their hair was always kept uncut, and ſo could not be to them a Memorial of their Conſecration. But for men-Nazarites this was injoyned, 1. As a ſign of their cleanneſs from pollutions; for when they were caſually defiled, verſ. 9. and were cleanſed from their impurity, their hair was to be ſhaven off, and therefore keeping their hair uncut, was a ſign that they had kept themſelves from being defiled. 2ly, That it might be a ſign of their ſpecial ſubjection to God, as the womans long hair was a ſign of her ſubjection to her Husband, 1 Cor. 11.5, 10. 3ly, That the neglect of trimming their hair might be a ſign of their mortification to the World, and the neglect of the outward adorning of their Bodies might be a ſign how wholly they were intent upon the Service of God, and the adorning of their Souls.
4. He was to keep himſelf from being defiled with any dead body; He was not to touch, mourn for, or bury his own Father or Mother, Brother or Siſter when they died, whereby we may ſee that as much exactneſs and freeneſs from legal impurity was required of the Nazarite as of the High Prieſt, Levit. 21.11. Hereby he was taught what ſpiritual purity and holineſs God required of him, and how he ought to moderate his ſorrow and natural affections for his neareſt Relations, who had a ſign of his Conſecration to God upon his head, (viz. his long hair,) which ought to be a Memorial to him that He ought to endeavour after a great and ſingular degree of holineſs. And therefore if any one caſually died by him whereby he became legally defiled, his hair was to be cut off that new hair might come in the room of it, whereby was intimated how ſtrict God is in exacting purity in thoſe that Conſecrate themſelves to his Service. And this was to be done on the ſeventh day, for that day was the uſual day of cleanſing for thoſe that were defiled by the dead, as we may ſee Numb. 19.11, 12. And though it was no fault in the Nazarite that a man dy'd ſuddainly by him, yet becauſe He was in a condition diſagreeable to the Law that injoyned Him not to come nigh unto any dead body, therefore He was on the eighth day to bring an Offering for his cleanſing, viz. two Turtles or two young Pigeons, the one for a Sin-Offering, and the other for a Burnt-Offering, and a Lamb of the firſt year for a Treſpaſs-Offering, and the Prieſt was by theſe Sacrifices to make atonement for him. This being done, He was to Conſecrate his head again; that is, renew his Vow of Nazariteſhip, and to begin again to obſerve the very ſame number of days of ſeparation which before his defiling He had vowed to God; and the former days He had obſerv'd before his Nazariteſhip was defiled, were to be reckoned as loſt, and not to come into the account of the days that were vowed. 4ly, When the Nazarite hath fulfilled his Vow, and is to be diſcharged thereof, this Law muſt be obſerved; He muſt be brought to the door of the Tabernacle and there muſt offer. 1. A Lamb of the firſt year for a Burnt-Offering. 2ly, An Ewe-Lamb of the firſt year for a Sin-Offering. 3ly. A Ram without blemiſh for a Peace-Offering. 4ly, A Basket of unleavened-bread, Cakes of fine flower mingled with Oil, and Wafers of unleavened-bread mingled with Oil, and the ordinary Meat-Offerings and Drink-Offerings appointed for appendences to all Sacrifices, ſee Numb. 28. 2ly, He ſhall ſhave off his hair, (u)This Law ['tis conceived] the Apoſtle Paul was perſwaded to obſerve to decline the offence of the Jews, Acts 21.24.[which was the ſign of his ſeparation] and put it into the fire under the Sacrifice of Peace-Offering, that is, not the fire on the Altar of Burnt-Offerings, [for there only the fat of the Peace-Offering was to be burnt] but the fire under the Chaldrons or Pots wherein the Peace-Offerings were boiled. And whereas the right ſhoulder of all the Peace-Offerings was due to the Prieſt raw [ſee Levit. 7.32.] here he was to have the left ſhoulder alſo when ſodden, and this was his peculiar portion of the Nazarites Ram, which in other Oblations was not his due. This left ſhoulder therefore the Prieſt was to take with one unleavened Cake, and one unleavened Wafer, and putting them upon the hands of the Nazarite, and putting his own hands under the Nazarites hands, He was to wave them before the Lord, and ſo they became his portion with the wave-breaſt and heave-ſhoulder; the reſt of the fleſh and bread was to be eaten by the Owners that preſented them. Theſe are the Offerings which a Nazarite, who is to be diſcharged of his Vow, is to offer, beſides what of his own free will he ſhall vow to give out of the eſtate which he hath gotten, and wherewith God hath bleſſed him. The former Offerings were preſcribed by God, and ſo neceſſarily to be offered both by Poor and Rich; but if the Nazarite being rich vowed any more Offerings, He muſt perform his vow accordingly. Theſe things being performed, the Nazarite was diſcharged of his vow, and had liberty to drink Wine again, if he thought good.
Numb. 6. from 1. to 2….
SECT. XLIX.
THe Lord now preſcribes to Aaron and his Sons how they ſhould ſolemnly bleſs the people, viz. lifting up their hands,(x)See Levit. 9.22. they ſhould ſay unto them, The Lord bleſs you and keep you, the Lord make his face ſhine upon you, and be gracious unto you; The Lord lift up his Countenance upon you, and give you peace. Thus they were to put Gods Name upon the people; that is, to bleſs them in his Name, and the Lord promiſes thereupon to bleſs them.
Numb. 6. from 22. to the end.
SECT. L.
God now Commands two (y)At firſt there were but two Trumpets appointed, viz. for Aaron's two Sons. But the number of Prieſts increaſing in Solomons time, there were an 120 Prieſts ſounding with Trumpets, 2 Chron. 5.12. Theſe Trumpets were ſigns of the miniſtry of the Word, and the Office of Teaching diſcharged by men called and fitted.ſilver Trumpets to be made for Aaron's two Sons, Eleazar and Ithamar. (z)The Prieſts are appointed to be Trumpeters, that the people might entertain the ſound thereof, as given by the direction of God, and accordingly conform themſelves thereunto, ſee Numb. 31.6. 2 Chron. 13.12.The uſe of theſe Trumpets was, (1.) To aſſemble the Congregation before the Lord in his Sanctuary. (2ly,) To give warning and direction for their marching towards the Land of Canaan. (3ly,) To encourage the people when they went forth to War. (4ly,) To excite their joy and rejoycing at their ſolemn Feſtivals. They were to blow with both Trumpets when all the people were to aſſemble at the door of the Tabernacle, and to blow but with one Trumpet when only the Princes and Heads of the people were to come together unto Moſes. And when the Camps were to remove they were to blow an Alarm or Taratantara, (a)V. 7. Clangetis & non Tarantarizabitis] Hic diſtinguit inter Clangere & Taratantizare. Freidlib.and ſo the Camps that lay Eaſtward or Southward, Northward or Weſtward, were to move according to the ſeveral ſoundings of the Trumpet. But when the Congregation was to be gathered together they were not to ſound in that manner. And only the Prieſts were to blow with Trumpets as long as the Prieſthood and this Diſpenſation was to laſt. And wheh the people were to go out to War, the Prieſts were to ſound an Alarm, which was to be a ſign to them that the Lord remembred their danger, and would help them againſt their Enemies. They were alſo to blow with theſe Trumpets on their ſolemn Feſtivals (b)V. 10. In their ſolemn days] wherein honeſt chearfulneſs was not only allowed, but injoyned, Deut. 16.14.and days of rejoycing, and on their new Moons over their Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings, and this was to be to them for a Memorial before the Lord; that is, as a ſign and token that if they performed this Service in faith of Gods mercy, and with joyful and glad hearts, the Lord would remember them and would hear their prayers, and accept their Sacrifices.
Numb. 10. from 1. to 11.